


A Promise to Keep

by RenegadeZer0



Category: One Piece
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, My First Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 05:20:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4047664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenegadeZer0/pseuds/RenegadeZer0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Dressrosa. Sabo feels guilty about not being there, and makes a promise to himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Promise to Keep

It had been 2 days since Doflamingo had been defeated by Luffy, and everyone was starting to go their separate ways. Knowing the Straw Hats would wanna hurry to the next island, Sabo made talking to Luffy a priority for tonight. After all, the only reason Koala, Hack, and him stuck around was to wrap up the Revolutionaries' investigation. If Sabo squeezed in some brotherly time together with Luffy, and formally met his friends, well, no one would mind.  
  
Of course, Luffy made sure to always be close by, if not actively traveling with Sabo throughout Dressrosa's streets. Sabo had a moment where his emotions passed his mental floodgate, and immediately spilled his guilty conscience over the cobblestone beneath their feet.  
  
"Luffy..." Sabo found his throat suddenly going dry. He knew he had to say it though. "Sometimes, I think about Ace, and if I could've changed anything. And I hope you're not mad over me being a no-show for all this time, and again, when it counted. I mean, it was Ace! I thought he was too strong to die."  
  
Luffy turned his attention to the sky above. "None of that matters now, cos you're here now!"  
  
Sabo's face froze. No anger. No sadness. Sabo would even venture to guess that Luffy understood. Something inside Sabo's chest ticked at the thought.  
  
"...Does it bother you still?"  
  
Sabo lowered his hat over his eyes and remained silent. He opened up his palm and ignited a small flame at the center. "Yeah..." Sabo remembered something, and started digging through his coat pockets. "Luffy. Here, take this." Sabo placed a small piece of paper in his hand.  
  
"A Vivre Card? Ace gave me one too," Luffy said, staring at the card in his palm.  
  
"Then I assume you know how it works? Good! Also keep this on your ship." Sabo held out a Transponder Snail.  
  
"Sabo? Is it yours?"  
  
"Sure is! If you're ever in danger you can't get yourself out of, contact me. I'll be there as fast as I can to help you." Sabo delivered the widest smile he could, but it quickly faltered when he heard his brother sniffling.  
  
Sure enough, Luffy was on the verge of wailing from the looks of it. And it wasn't a second later that he stuffed his pockets with his gifts so he could wrap his arms around his older brother.  
  
"Luffy... I thought you made a promise to stop crying?" Sabo reminded the younger.  
  
"Shut up!!!" Though Sabo could tell he was giggling.  
  
Silence washed over the two for several seconds until Luffy broke it. "Sabo? Can you promise me something? You can't ever die, okay? You have to promise!" Luffy lifted his head from Sabo's chest, distress apparent in his eyes.  
  
_I never wanna go through that again!_  
  
"I can't die, who would look after a troublemaker like you?!" A fond smile found its way stretching slowly across Sabo's face.  
  
"My friends, of course!" Luffy grinned.  
  
"Then they must have their work cut out for them, huh?"  
  
_I still remember that promise we made together, Ace! I'll make a world where Luffy can be free to make his dream come true!_  
  
Luffy had started going ahead towards the inn he and Sabo were staying at to catch up. "Sabo! Come on! Hurry, or I'll eat your dinner!" Luffy called, snapping Sabo out of his thoughts momentarily.  
  
_He'll become the King of the Pirates, I know it!_

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work in years, but I'd like to think I did well. Anyways, it's pretty short only cos the arc isn't actually finished and I had nowhere else I wanted to take it. But I am working on other ideas so if you wanna posit something, let me know on my Tumblr or Twitter: @renegadezer0


End file.
